The body deals with toxins from the environment and from within on a daily basis. The sources of toxins are varied and extensive. They include urban pollution such as automobile exhaust (lead, carbon monoxide), industrial smoke, smog, and tobacco smoke. Medicines and drugs are toxic. The foods we eat contain toxins ranging from chemical additives, preservatives, dyes, radiation, pesticides and herbicides, hormones, and genetically modified foods. Some foods, such as alcohol, are toxic to our liver. The way we prepare food can be toxic: heated and burned oils from frying and charcoal grilled meats. Our water is contaminated with various chemicals, bacteria, xenoestrogens, chemicals (such as fluoride), and heavy metals (such as aluminum). There are many toxins in our home environment, especially those from cleaning materials, exhaust emissions from stoves and boilers, paints, plastics, insulation materials, carpets, and even geopathic stress.
Microbes such as bacteria, parasites and viruses are toxins and put a burden on our endocrine and immune systems. Even healthy organic fruits and vegetables contain toxins naturally present in the plant. Additionally, our body produces various toxins from its own biochemical processes that generate disease-causing free radicals. One of the most consistent sources of toxic exposure is endotoxins produced by bacteria in our gut. Fortunately, our bodies have their own powerful detoxification system.
The body’s mechanisms to protect us from toxicity.
The body eliminates toxins either by directly neutralizing them or by excreting them in the urine or feces (and to a lesser extent in the lungs and skin). The intestines, liver and kidneys are the main organs of detoxification. The liver bears the brunt of the responsibility when it comes to detoxification. It is responsible for filtering the blood to remove large toxins, synthesizing and secreting bile containing cholesterol and other fat-soluble toxins, and enzymatically disassembling unwanted chemicals.
How toxins affect our health.
Toxins are a serious threat to health. They drain energy and increase susceptibility to disease or directly cause it. The buildup of toxins can wreak havoc with normal metabolic processes and increase our sensitivity to chemicals, some of which are normally non-toxic. It is believed that up to 90% of all cancers are due to the effects of environmental carcinogens combined with deficiencies in nutrients that the body needs for proper function of the immune and detoxification systems.
Symptoms of toxicity: chronic headaches, foul-smelling stools or breath, chronic fatigue, feeling toxic (dull headaches, chronic hangover as if from too much alcohol), sensitivity to chemicals, caffeinated foods and beverages that keep you awake, chronic allergies, unexplained itching
Toxicity diseases: acne, anemia, autoimmune disease, cancer, eczema, gallstones, Gilbert’s syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, toxemia of pregnancy, urticaria or hives, liver disease, especially acute or chronic hepatitis.
Children and food toxins.
There are about 3,500 food additives currently in use. In the UK, 4.5kg (dry weight) of food additives are consumed per person per year. This is 10 times the amount used 30 years ago. Children have the highest exposure and intake of food additives, as they are targeted the most by manufacturers of brightly colored, sweet-tasting, artificial foods. Preservatives, colors, and flavors are the most well-known additives, but antioxidants, emulsifiers, stabilizers, gelling agents, thickeners, and sweeteners are also commonly used in our foods. These chemicals can pose many dangers to human health if consumed regularly and in large quantities. It is important to read food labels to avoid hidden chemicals that are often identified with E numbers. E numbers are codes assigned to certain food additives. There are numerous websites that explain which numbers refer to which chemicals.
Basic ways to avoid toxicity.
Support detoxification systems
o Avoid toxins that overstimulate detoxification pathways in the liver
o Use chemical-free products on your skin, including healthy alternatives to aluminum-containing underarm deodorant.
o Going Green is all the rage and there are many products available to support a healthier environment. These include non-toxic household products and organic sprays for use in the garden.
o Eat enough antioxidant nutrients to prevent free radical damage caused by detoxification, including vitamin C and fruits and vegetables rich in beta-carotene, selenium (tuna, oysters, mushrooms, herring), zinc (oysters, ginger root, lamb, walnuts walnuts, dried peas) and vitamin E (seeds, nuts, beans, peas), phytonutrients found in fresh fruits and vegetables.
o Eat a high-fiber diet (eg, flaxseed, soluble fiber such as oatmeal, apple pectin) which speeds transit time in stool, reduces the load on the liver, and is necessary to remove bile and for good colon health.
o Herbs such as silymarin (milk thistle) prevent liver damage by acting as an antioxidant and by increasing the rate of liver tissue regeneration. Dandelion root helps cleanse liver cells of toxins and stimulates the flow of bile
o Methionine, a protein, helps remove heavy metals through its sulfur content (also found in garlic and onions)
o Lipotropic agents, choline, betaine, methionine, vitamin B6, folic acid, and vitamin B12 promote the flow of fat and bile to and from the liver, and choline helps with peristalsis
Good food, good digestion.
o Include essential fatty acids in the diet that help the good intestinal flora adhere to the walls of the intestine.
o Make sure that the intestinal flora is balanced and that the intestine is free of yeast, parasites or any other pathogens, and if necessary, supplement with a good probiotic.
o Eat a balanced diet that eliminates sugars, refined foods and oils, and food allergens.
o Drink plenty of fresh, filtered, bottled, or distilled water every day.
o Eat organic foods that lower your exposure to chemicals and hormones.
detox methods
Enhance liver detoxification through supervised liver detoxification (including coffee enema) or gallbladder flushing.
Skin brushing is important to remove dead skin cells that clog pores and make it difficult for them to be removed properly through the skin. It also gently stimulates circulation.
Saunas and lymphatic drainage to improve the elimination of toxins through the skin and increase lymphatic flow.
Caution: who should not detox and why
Pregnant or lactating women should not detoxify, as toxins are mobilized that can endanger the pregnancy. Furthermore, it is a time when the reduction of nutrient intake should be optimal and fasting is not recommended.
Detoxification can be dangerous for people who are underweight or have diabetes, hypothyroidism, or hypoglycemia, as their nutrient needs are altered. People with compromised immune systems, including those recovering from surgery, should also avoid detoxification. Drug addicts or alcoholics should be cautious when undergoing detoxification processes, as they may present severe withdrawal symptoms that must be supervised. Physically weak people who have had surgery, who have cancer, or the elderly may not have the stamina to undergo a detoxification program.
Our job in learning to be well is to support our natural ability to detoxify by limiting our exposure to toxins and consuming nutrients that help detoxify them. This will help us feel good now and in the future by reducing our risk of developing deadly degenerative diseases (such as cancer, arthritis, diabetes, heart attack and stroke) that are so prevalent in the urban environment of the 21st century.
Bibliography
Almoayed, A. 2007. I Want Healthy Kids. Kingdom of Bahrain: Union Press
Balch P and Balch J. (2000) Prescription for nutritional healing. Third edition. New York: Avery.
MacDonald Baker, S. (2003) Detoxification and Healing. United States: McGraw-Hill
Murray P and Pizzorno J (2000) Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Second edition. Great Britain: Little Brown Company
Pizzorno, J. (1996) Total Well-being. United States: Prime
